Hartono brothers make Como Stadium a Champions League hub

On Thursday evening, the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia in Como – a stadium built after the First World War with 13 602 seats, named after a rower – transforms into the centre of European football: debutants Como 1907 play in the Champions League against RB Leipzig, while Indonesian billionaires fund the project for the rich.

From Insolvent Club to Champions League Debut

The club Como 1907, insolvent eight years ago, was still playing in the 2nd division two years ago. Today it is a debutant in the Champions League and meets RB Leipzig on Thursday evening. The promotion lifted the club to fourth place in the league and pushed AC Milan and Juventus into the Europa League. In the meantime the club has redefined its playing philosophy.

In 2019, the Indonesian billionaires Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono arrived as new owners. Their fortune was estimated at over 40 billion US dollars the previous year, and they invested 100 million euros in new players in the summer of 2025. In the years since the Hartono brothers' entry, the club has invested heavily. This financial power makes the project a game for the rich.

Cesc Fabregas, world and European champion, arrived in 2022 as a player, became a youth coach and eventually head coach of the professionals. They described him as a mix of Guardiola, Conte and Harry Potter. Under his leadership the club reached fourth place and secured Champions League participation in European football.

Renovation Measures and UEFA Requirements

UEFA demanded several adjustments: a steel tube stand was replaced with concrete, the pitch was widened, and the player benches as well as the tunnel were relocated. For the debut in the Champions League this is sufficient for now, but a comprehensive reconstruction is planned. The club intends to carry out this reconstruction by 2028, and the stadium will then offer 35 000 seats.

To be able to listen to this article, you need a KURIER subscription. The club has decided to give away seats for the match against Leipzig to fans who were born in 1950 or earlier and have followed the club for decades. For all other fans who are not among the lucky ones, a regular ticket remains necessary.

Como started the new Serie A season with seven points from three games and has already beaten Napoli. On the transfer market, the striker Moise Kean was loaned from Fiorentina and centre‑back Chalobah was signed from Chelsea for 30 million euros. In addition, Austrian international Nicolas Seiwald will have a role at RB Leipzig. The world of football is watching the rapid growth.